Apparatus for closing and sealing containers



May 1, 1951 R. B. CARTWRIGHT ET AL 5 5 APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND SEALINGCONTAINERS Filed May 26, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet l May I, 1951 R. B.CARTWRIGHT ET AL 2,551,527

APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND SEALING CONTAINERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May26, 1948 Q Q Q 8 w ms y 1, 1951 R. B. CARTWRJGHT ET AL 2,551,527

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APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND SEALING CONTAINERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May26, 1948 I l grwem kyw nil Hull

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Patented May 1, 1951 iiiti'ihfi STATES APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND SEALINGCONTAINERS Robert B. Cartwright, Lincoln, Nehru, and William M. Owen,Peoria, 111.; said Owen assignor to said Cartwright 12 Claims.

This invention pertains to a method of and apparatus for closing andsealing paper containers.

More particularly the invention resides in a method and apparatus forclosing the flaps of a paper container for cereals, and the like, inpackaging plants, and sealing said flaps by pressure, in certaininstances, aided by the application of heat.

An object is to operate upon the flaps of a container of such type ofthat forming the subject of patent application Serial No. 1,860, filedJanuary 12, 1.948, by Robert B. Cartwright which involves certain of theusual top flaps of a container, one of said flaps having an extensionadapted to be folded down upon one of the narrow sides of such containerto serve as a closure for an opening in that side adjacent the topthereof through and from which opening the contents of the container maybe discharged.

As distinguished from the more common practics of merely folding downthe flaps one upon another, and trusting that a tight sealing of suchcont iner has come about, the purpose herein is to introduce through anopening in a wall of the container a pressure resisting member uponwhich the flaps are folded, and applying pressure upon the flaps at saidmember preferably in the presence of heat by which a suitable substancepreviously applied to the flaps is caused to soften whereby the saidflaps are positively made to adi here to each other in a perfect seal,followed by causing an extension of one of the flaps to be made toadhere to the wall of the container having the named opening, and tooverlie and seal said opening, also preferably by application of heat tobring about positive adherence of such extension.

That the present method, and the apparatus for carrying out the methodmay be fully understood reference is bad to the accompanying drawingsforming part hereof.

Figure l is a plan of the apparatus.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of part of a conveyor shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows in perspective a conveyor-flight shown in Figures 1 and2.

Figure 4 is a transverse section of a conveyor of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the apparatus of Figure l, in partsection, taken on line 5-5 of that figure.

Figure 6 is an elevation of structure illustrated in Figur 5 as viewedfrom the right of that figure.

Figure 7 is an elevation in part section of a 2 structure shown inFigure 5 also viewed from the right thereof.

Figure 8 is an end elevation of the apparatus in part section, producedon line 8-8 of Figures 1 and 5.

Figure 9 is an elevation of a detail of parts shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 shows in perspective certain struc tures shown in Figure 8.

Figure 11 is a front elevation in part section of parts shown in Figures8 and 10.

Figure 12 is a plan of a shift-plate shown in Figures 1 and 8 togetherwith other parts shown in section.

Figures 13 and 14 are duplicates of Figure 12 in order to show differentpositions of the shiftplate from the position of the said plate in thatfigure.

Figure 15 is a side elevation of a container or box showing theshift-plate of Figures 12, 13, and 14 therewith, seen edgewise.

Figure 15 is a front elevation of a box, in part, showing theshift-plate of Figure 15 therewith.

Figure 17 is a side elevation of a cam rod produced on line lT-l'l ofFigure 12.

Figure 18 is a front elevation of two other cam rods produced on linesl8l8 also of Figure 12.

Figure 19 is a perspective of a container or box, and a ram portionincluded therewith.

Figure 20 is a perspective of a container or box, together with anoperating member shown in Figure 5.

Figure 21 is a side elevation of a portion of a container and anoperating member of Figure 20 shown therewith in section, and

Figure 22 is an elevation similar to Figure 16 but showing a shift-platein a different position from that in the latter figure.

In several of-the figures of the drawing the numeral i denotes asuitably supported bed-plate. Sup-ported by and beneath the same inbearings 2, but one of which is shown, is a pulley 3 over which travelsa belt-4 serving as a conveyor, said belt moving through a slot 5, inthis instance, see Figure 5, in said bed-plate I. Said belt 4 mayreceive upon it a series of containers or boxes A to be moved toward theright in the figure named, these being held in line by suitably mountedguides paralleling the belt-edges, a

leading box of the series adapted to abut a stop I on said bed-plate,Figures 1 and 5.

Mounted on an extension I of the bed-plate is a carriage 8, see Figures8 and 10, adapted to travel rearward in a direction'at a right angle tothe travel of said belt 5 and to be carried into top of the carriage andextends from the latter toward the box A while at said stop 1 as inFigure 1, and as in Figure 10.

Within the box said plate i may be yieldingly supported, if desired, forpermitting a vertical movement limited by a spring structure l2 of awell known arrangement, and within the portion of the plate i| soextending from the carriage may be an electrically headed elementsuggested at i3 in Figure 8.

Below the carriage, in this instance, Figure 8, is a lever l4, pivotallymounted at l5 on a support l6, a spring being connected at one end tothe lever below its pivot, as in Figure 9, the other end of said springhaving a fixed position on said support. Said spring is constantly understrain and thus maintains the lever in a forward position above itspivot I5 and against a cam l8 mounted on a shaft |9 journaled in saidsupport It. In this position, of course, the carriage is also maintainedin the forward position shown in Figure 8. A roller 28 is in position tobe engaged by the cam and the latter in its rotation will swing thelever to the right, or rearwardly, to an opposite position from thatshown to thus move the carriage through the medium of a link 2|pivotally connected to and between said carriage and lever.

The full rearward movement to the said D- posite position, due to saidcam |8, results in abutting the carriage with a box or container A atthe stop I, carrying said box to an extreme rearward position shown inFigures 5 and 8 in broken lines, see also Figure 10, wherein the rearside of said box may abut a flange 22 of a plate 23 carried by a rod 24which will be termed a ram herein. The plate 23 and its flange 22 areclearly shown in Figures 1, 5 and 8. As may be seen in said Figure 5 therod 24 constitutes a part of the ram and is mounted slidably in supports25 surmounting a frame portion 25, the normal position of the plate 23thereof being as shown in said figure to receive said box A. The end ofthe rod opposite the end carrying said plate is adapted to be engagedand shifted by a lever 21 pivoted at 28 on a supporting frame 29 andabove said pivot said lever carries a roller 39 adjacent which is a cam3| carried by a shaft 32 journaled on said supporting frame. A spring 33connected to and between the lower extension of the lever and a part 34serves to hold the roller against said cam. Naturally, in the rotationof the cam the lever will shift the ram and project the plate 23 to thebroken line position in said Figure 5 where it lies just above the edgeof the bed-plate The front surface of the plate 23 is in line with abroad side of the box A and receives the same slidably as said box movesagainst the flange 22. The carriage 8 abuts the front narrow box wall ofthe box, while the plate l5 of the carriage receives against it theother broad side of the same. Tnus, the box is firmly clamped in theposition shown in Figure 10.

Rearward of the structure just described are two spaced supportingmembers 35 and 36 as 4 parts of the framing of the apparatus, a stopmember 35' being altered to the member 35 to parallel the said plate 23.Shiitable through said members 55, 35 are vertical rods 31, see Figures1 and 8.

Surmounting said rods and fixed thereto is a plate 38 having a forwardextension 39. Shiftable vertically through the extension is a rodcarrying a pressure plate 6|, a spring 42 encircling the pin being undercompression between said extension 39 and said plate 4|. Journaled on asupport 43., as part of the frame work of the apparatus, is a shaft 45with a rotatable disc 45 fixed thereto as in Figures 5 and 8. A

pitman 45 at one end engages a wrist pin 47 on 5 plate includes twospaced extensions 48, while at their places of junction with the mainportion 48, and lying between them, is a forwardly extending abutment ortongue 49 spaced from both extensions, it being observed that saidshift-plate is provided with openings of considerable spread at theposition of the rods 37 in order that the plates may be shifted withouthindrance by the latter.

Secured upon the member 35 at opposite edges thereof, as in Figures 1, 3and 8, are keepers 35 which hold the shift-plate upon said member whilepermitting the same to freely shift thereunder.

Affixed at their upper ends to, and depending from the plate are threecam-rods, see Figures 12, 13 and 14, also Figures 17 and 18. One ofthese is identified at 5| which is adapted to move vertically through aslot 5| in the shiftplate and through the member 35 supporting thelatter. This slot, which is relatively long and narrow, lies lengthwisein a transverse position in respect to said shift-plate. The other twocam-rods denoted at 52 are spaced from each other, and each likewiseextends through a slot 52' in said shift-plate, these two slotsparalleling each other in their lengths and lie at right angles to thelongest measurement of the named slot 5| and lengthwise of the saidplate.

The cam-rod 5| may be a fiat member, or rectangular in cross section asshown in Figure 12, this likewise being true of the rods 52. Said rod 5|has a cam portion 5| formed therewith having opposite surfaces 5Pdownwardly inclined at an angle toward the position of the extension 48of the shift-plate, and thence are rearwardly and downwardly inclinedforming a V, the plane of which lies transversely of the slot 5|. Thetwo rods 52 are identical in form, each having a double cam portion 52substantially in the form of a Z the planes of which lie at right anglesto the longest measurement of a slot 52, providing opposite downwardlyinclined surfaces 52 extending in one direction, these merging intoopposite surfaces 52 downwardly inclined in an opposite direction, thenmerging into opposite downwardly inclined surfaces 52 In Figures 17 and18 it is evident that in either direction of vertical movements of therod 5| through the seat 5| the shift-plate will be engaged and shiftedin one or both directions de- 13 and 14 are provided as duplicates ofFigure 12 in order to show two difierent positions of the shift-plate(broken lines) in the lateral shift of said plate, said Figure 12showing in broken lines a forward shift as distinguished from saidFigures l3, 14. These movements of the plate I occur in closing theflaps of a box A, as will appear. Also, it is well to bring out thedisposal of the box-flaps for the particular purpose of the foldingoperations to be explained. By reference to Figures 1, 5 and 19, forexample, the box A includes a flap a surmounting the rear narrow wall ofthe box, while 1) denotes the flap for a broad side of the latten, as incommon practice, whereas the flap for the opposite broad side has anintegral extension 01 adapted to be 5 folded down upon the narrow frontwall of the box, and to cover a recess 6 in that wall, said extensionpreferably having a flap 1 at each longitudinal edge. Immediatelyfollowing the operations on the flaps the box or container is released,since the cam is at the lever i l that shifts the carriage 8 reachessuch a position in its rotation as to permit the spring ll, Figure 9, toreturn said carriage to the position in Figure 8 ready for the nextbox-shifting step.

At the rearward side of the apparatus at a position below the level ofthe bed-plate i, in this instance for convenience, is suitably mounted apair of plates 54 as the bottom of a conveyor, these being spaced apartas in Figures 4 and 8.

Beneath said plates is a chain conveyor 55 carried on sprocket wheels 56and 5'; on shafts 56, 5?, respectively, see Figures 2 and 5, forexample. Mounted at spaced intervals on the conveyor chain are flights58 which travel between the spaced plates 54;. Suitably supported abovethe latter are members 59 which serve to guide the boxes A as urgedalong by the flights 58, it being noted in Figures 1 and 8 that thepreviously mentioned stop-member overhangs said conveyor 55.

The conveyor flights in operation are made to advance toward the right,as viewed in Figures 1 and 6, in a step-by-step manner. As one form ofmechanism suitable for this intermittent action the well known Genevaarrangement is employed as shown at 60,, 69' in Figure 5, a shaft 6iserving for operating the part 66' thereof, said shaft being suitablymounted on a part of a supporting frame 62, the part so being affixed tothe shaft 56'. Also, on the frame 62 is journaled a shaft 63 carrying arotatable member 64 which, as shown in Figures 1 and 6, is provided neareach end with a cam-groove 65. Secured to the named frame 62 adjacenteach end of the member 66 is a bracket 55 pivoted on each of which is alever-arm til each of whose upper ends carries, pivotally, a U-shapedclamping member 58 adapted to receive into it a box A mounted on theconveyor structure 54, 55 described. The lower ends of the lever-armsengage in any approved manner in the grooves E5 of the member 6 it beingevident that as the latter rotates the clamping members 58 will alininsure tight sealing.

the description of the operation of the appara-:

tus. In Figures 5 and 7 the numeral 69 denotes two spaced members asparts of the general.

frame-work of the apparatus. Between these members a shaft 70 issupported, affixed to which is a disc "H in one of whose faces is acircular groove 12 lying between the center of disc rotation and theperiphery of said disc. Slidable vertically through the members 69 is arod 73 which lies closely adjacent the disc-face, this carryin a roller'54 to engage in said groove 12. Suspended from the lower end of the rod13 is a member l5, see Figures 1, 5, 20 and 21. This member is adaptedto be heated by an electrically heated element as suggested at 16, aconductor of the electric current being indicated at 16', as in Figures20 and 21. Said member 15 has two spaced portions or cheeks Ti and aninner depressed surface 68. In the lowering of the member l5 the saidsurface 78 lies at such a position with respect to a box A as to causethe extension d of the flap c to be carried downsnugly upon the narrowfront side of said box, while the named cheeks will engage and carry thetabs f of said extension d against the two opposite broad sides of saidbox, the application of heat, meanwhile, softening any such suitablecoating with which the flap portions may be provided, resulting in theclose adherence of the portions to each other. The surface 18 0f themember 15 as well as the cheeks or flanges closely approach thedimensions of the box side so that in the engagement of said member inits shifting movement against the flap d a snug fitting results, andsufficient pressure is thereby created During action of the mechanismlast described, the clamping members 68 first engage a box A to hold itsecurely, this being followed by the depression of the member 15 tooperate upon the flap-extension d, these actions occurrin at and timedto each stopping of box travel by the conveyor.

The various structures herein have been described throughout in detailas to their forms, though equivalent structures may be as readilyemployed where the required results in action can be realized.

Operation The container or boxes A carried by the belt 4 are those thathave been previously filled with the material to be stored, it beingpresupposed that the flaps a, b, c and d have been so treated with amaterial suitable, as to be made to ad here to each other, the saidflaps all having erect positions as suggested in Figures 5, 8 and 19.

In the present instance the belt 4 may be con-.. tinuously in motion toshift the boxes toward the right in Figure 5, the urging of said boxesbeing due to friction as they rest on said belt, the leading box uponmeeting the stop I 'naturally causing interruption of the travel of thebalance thereof. 1

At the time the apparatus is set in motion with a box at said stop I thecam is carried by the shaft E9, Figures 8 and 9, swings the lever M tothe right and thus shifting the carriage 8 against the lodged box A tomove it rearwardly against the flange 22 of the plate 23 of the ramstruc ture. Said box is now imprisoned and rigidly held between thecarriage 8 and said flange 22, and between said plate 23 and the plateIt of said carriage as before stated.

Since the box flaps are all upright the two side flaps b and e haveentered the space between the extensions 48' of the shift-plate 48. Atthis time said shift-plate is in an extreme forward position as held bythe cam-rod 5!, Figure 17, and therefore, the rear flap a of the box hasbeen engaged at its fold-line by the tongue 49 as the box is forcedthereagainst, said plate forcing said flap down to its closed positionas in Figures 10 and 15. As this action takes place the plate 48 cannotabut and buckle the named flaps b and c from the fact that since thetongue is spaced from the extensions as in Figures 12, 13 and 14, saidflaps are received into the edges of said tongue.

During the time the carriage 8 had moved to engage the box the heatedplate portion H of said carriage had entered said box just beneath theposition where the box flaps will lie in their folded-down positions.Therefore, the said flap a now lies upon said heated plate.

In Figure 5 the pitman 46 in control of the plate 38 is at a startingposition where the named cam-rod 5|, Figure 17, holds the position namedwith respect to the shift-plate, said pitnian being in position ofdescent. At the moment the box A enters its clamped position with thefolding down of the flap a as described the disc d5, being timed to suchoccasion, is now rotated counterclockwise, Figure 5, whereupon the cam 55 of the rod 5i is moved downwardly, the rear surface 5 i of the cam asit descends engaging and forcing the shift-plate rearwardly to thebroken line position as in Figure 12, thus moving the tongue 39 of theshift-plate clear of the box as in Figures 13 and 14. At the time ofthis movement the twin rods 52 are also moving downward so that theposition of the rod 5| just above its cam 5| lies within the slot 5! thecams 52 enter the slots 52'. As descent continues the cam surfaces 52 atthe right engage and slide the shift-plate toward the right to thebroken line position in Figure 13 thus engaging the flap b, Figure 16,to close it upon the flap a. Further, descent of the cam causesengagement of the cam surface 52 at the left to slide the shift-plate tothe left, Figure 14, whereupon said plate meets the flap c, folding itupon the flap 12, see Figure 22. These operations being completed, thepitman 55 moves the plate 38 still further downward thus placing thepressure plate 4! upon the closed flaps with considerable force, theheated plate I l of the carriage 8 together with the said pressure platebringing about the adherence of the said flap to each other. During thepressure period, of course, the flaps are entirely exposed to the plate51, the shiftplate lying free thereof, and said plate M has an area ofsurface only sufficient to cover the flaps without interference.

In this connection it may be stated that since the straight portions ofthe cam rods during this period lie within the slots therefor, theshiftplate is positively held in neutral position, In the completion ofthe cycle of movement of the disc 45 to its starting position shown inFigure 5 the cam rods are also lifted and in that travel they,incidently and naturally, move the shiftplate 48 as before, but withouteffect, no box portion being present, except that the tongue 49 is againprojected at the box position at the time of halting of roation of thesaid disc 45 ready for the next cycle of action.

The employment of dual cam rods 52 is merely that they serve jointly tomaintain the shiftplate in a fixed line of travel and steady it.

Sealing having taken place, the cam 3i of the shaft 32 operates the ram25 to carry the sealed box toward and against the stop member 35 abovethe ,conveyor Elli-58, this occurring immediately following, however,the removal of the carriage 8 from the box by the lever 54 as said Flever is released by the cam l8, Figure 8, as before described. Sincethe bed plate I, which has supported the box during operations thereon,is at its edge spaced the thickness of a box A from a vertical planeparalleling the said stop member 35', the projected boxes are each freeto fall upon said conveyor, one by one, the flights 58 being spaced toreceive them and which flights in their travel are timed to admit a boxbetween any two of them, each and every box as sealed being received inits order as delivered by said ram, all moving along in a step-by-stepmanner as provided by the general structure or its equivalent.

The spacing of the conveyor below the level of the bed-plate l is merelyfor convenience, in this instance, in providing for said conveyor in asimple manner.

In the sealing-down operation, the flap extension d of the flap 0 has,of course, also been lowered to the position shown in Figure 5, butpasses beneath the said stop member 35'. In said Figure 5 the severalboxes shown are conveniently spaced from each other by the named flights58 as explained. In the travel of the conveyor each box A is brought toa halted position, in its turn, opposite the previously describedfolding mechanism for the named extension d.

Normally, the heating member 5 is in a raised position clear of themoving line of boxes as suggested in Figure 20. Also, the clam ingmember 58 carried by the lever arms 61 are normally spaced from the saidline of boxes as shown in Figure l, as to one of them, and as suggestedin broken lines in Figure 6. The rate of rotation of the disc H and thatof the rotating cam member 64 is such, as to timing, that as each box Aarrives opposite the mechanism, as in Figures 1 and 5, the said cammember rotates and swings the clamping members into engagement with abox their flanges 53 receiving the box between them and is thus held fora period of time for sealing purposes. During the clamping period thetimed heating member is lowered by the rod 13 carrying it from theposition shown in Figure 20 to that shown in Figure 5 to thus fold theflap extension (1 down against the front wall of the box, the flanges llalso closing the tabs 9 upon the box sides, the provided heat, ifrequired, bringing about the proper adherence of the flap extension tothe box wall. Where the coating may be of such nature that adhesion ofthe flaps to each other is possible under any condition where pressureis employed, the use of heat may not be required. As each box is thuscompletely sealed 7 it moves along the conveyor for disposal.

The various operating units are all timed in proper order one to anotherin the successive steps described as provided by any usual or well knownmechanism.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for folding down the top flaps of a su' rted rectangularpaper container, the same including a supported plate shiftable in itsown plane and paralleling the top of said container at the fold lines ofsaid flaps, said plate having a recess throughout part of itsmeasurement in one direction into which to receive the container, andhaving an abutment at the terminus of said recess, and mechanism "forshifting the plate in opposite directions lying at right angles to eachother.

2. Apparatus for folding down the top flaps of a supported rectangularpaper container, including a supported plate shiftable in its own planeand in a plane paralleling the top of the container at the fold lines ofthe flaps, said plate having a pair of extensions spaced from each otherto receive the container between them, said extensions adapted to engageopposite wall-flaps of the latter, said plate having an abutment at andbetween the bases of the extensions and within the recess to engage aflap on another wall of the said container, and mechanism for shiftingthe plate in directions lying at right angles to each other, and adaptedto oscillate said plate in either of said directions.

3. Apparatus for folding down the top flaps of a supported rectangularpaper container, including a supported plate shiftable in its own planeand in a plane paralleling the top of the container at the fold lines ofthe flaps, said plate having a pair of extensions spaced from each otherto receive the container between them, said extensions adapted to engageopposite wallflaps of the latter, said plate having a tongue at andbetween the bases of the extensions and spaced from each, said tongueadapted to engage a flap on another wall of said container, andmechanism for shifting the plate in two directions lying at right anglesto each other.

4. Apparatus for folding down the top flaps of a supported rectangularpaper container, including a supported plate shiftable in its own planeand in a plane paralleling the top of the container at the fold lines ofthe flaps, said plate having a pair of extensions spaced from each otherto receive the container between them, said extensions adapted to engageopposite walliiaps of the latter, said plate having a tongue at andbetween the bases of the extensions, spaced from each, said tongueadapted to engage a flap on another wall of said container, andreciproeating cam-rods operatively engaging the plate for oscillatingthe same in one direction, and a cam-rod also operatively engaging theplate to oscillate the same in a direction at right angles to the firstsaid direction.

5. Apparatus for folding down the top flaps of a supported rectangularpaper container, in-

cluding a supported plate shiftable in its own plane and in a planeparalleling the top of the container at the fold lines of the flaps,said plate having a pair of spaced extensions substantially parallelingeach other to receive the container between them and for engagingopposite wall-fiaps of the latter, said plate having a tongue at andbetween the bases of the extensions and spaced from each of the same,and mechanism to shift the plate in either of two directions lying atright angles to each other to engage and fold the flaps one upon theother in separate order.

6. The structure recited in claim 5, including mechanism including apressure plate forced yieldingly upon. the flaps when they have beenfolded upon each other.

7. Apparatus for folding down the top flaps of a supported rectangularpaper container, the same including a supported plate shiftable in itsown plane and paralleling the top of said container at the fold lines ofsaid flaps, said plate having a pair of spaced extensions to receive thecontainer between them, said extensions adapted to engage oppositewall-flaps of the latter, said plate having a tongue at and between thebases of the extensions and spaced from both, said tongue adapted toengage a flap on another wall of said container, and mechanism forshifting the plate in either of two directions lying at right angles toeach other, and a second mechanism including a pressure plate forcedyieldingly upon the folded flaps, the two mechanisms being timed one tothe other to permit retracting movement of the plate to expose thefolded flaps prior to the contact of the said pressure plate with thesaid flaps.

8. Apparatus for closing a supported rectangular container, saidcontainer including top flaps to be folded upon each other, and one ofsaid flaps having a folda-ble extension adapted to overlie a portion ofthe outer surface of such container, said apparatus including asupported plate shiftable in its own plane and in a position to engagesaid flaps at their fold lines and substantially paralleling the side ofthe container from which said flaps extend, said plate having a pair ofspaced extensions paralleling two opposite Walls of the containerreceived between them, and said plate having an abutment between thebases of said extensions an edge of which substantially parallelsanother wall of such container, mechanism for shifting the plate indirections at right angles to each other and to oscillate said plate ineither of said directions for engaging the extensions and said abutmentwith the flaps to fold the same, and means including a member forengaging the named fololable extension of a flap upon the outer side ofthe container wall.

9. Mechanism for operating upon a supported formed open-topcontainerhaving flaps extending from and paralleling its side walls, saidmechanism including a supported plate adapted to shift in its own planeand parallel to the side of the container from which said flaps extendand adapted to engage the flaps at their fold lines, said plate having arecess therein through and into which the container is received, twoopposite walls of the recess paralleling two opposite sides of thelatter, and said plate having a tongue less in width than themeasurement of the recess between its said two opposite walls, andmechanism operatively engaging the plate adapted to shift the same inone direction to move the tongue a flap for folding the same, saidmechanism then adapted to retract said tongue, followed by shifting theplate in a direction substantially at right angles to the firstdirection of shift thereof for applying said plate to a second flap forfolding it, and then adapted to shift the plate in a direction oppositeto the direction first shifted for engaging a third flap.

10. Apparatus for folding down the flaps of the walls of a papercontainer, the same including a mounted plate free to be shifted in itsown plane and having spaced extensions projecting from an edge thereofsubstantially paralleling each other, a tongue at the base of saidextensions of less length than the same and extending toward theterminals thereof, said extensions adapted to receive between them thesaid flaps at substantially their "old line, means to shift the plate ina direction paralleling the length of said extensions, and means toshift the plate substantially at right angles to the first nameddirection of its movement to engage and fold certain of the flaps topositions at right angles to the plane of the walls carrying themv 11.Apparatus for folding down the flaps of the rear wall and side walls ofa rectangular container, the same includin a mounted plate free to beshifted in its own plane and having paced extension projecting from oneof its edges substantially paralleling each other, and having a tongueat the base of said extension of less length than the same and extendingtoward the terminal thereof, said extensions adapted to receive thecontainer flaps between them with the flap of the rear wall thereofcoinciding with the position of said tongue, means to shift the plate ina direction to move the tongue to and fromthe position of the said flapof the rear wall, and in one position of said tongue abutting said flapto cause folding thereof, and means to transmit movements to said platein a direction substantially at right angles to the first named movementthereof to carry its extension alternately against the flaps of the sidewalls of the container to fold down the same.

12. Apparatus for folding down the flaps of the rear wall and side wallsof a rectangular container, the same including a mounted plate free tobe shifted in its own plane and having spaced extensions projecting froman edge thereof substantially paralleling each other and having a tongueat the base of said extension of less length than the same and extendingtoward the terminal thereof, said extensions adapted to receive thecontainer flaps between them at their fold. lines with the flap of therear container wall coinciding with the position of said tongue, therebein an opening in said plate, a cam member adapted to shift throughsaid opening to impart shifting movement to the plate to and from theposition of the said flap of said rear wall of the container, therebeing a second opening in said plate, a cam member adapted to shiftthrough said opening to impart a direction of movement to said plate atright angles to the first direction of movement of same, the plate inthe named movements bringing about the engagement of the plate with thenamed flaps of the container, and folding down the same.

ROBERT B. CARTWRIGHT.

WILLIAM M. OWEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,365,415 Lawrence Jan. 11, 19211,577,850 Peters et a1 Mar. 23, 1926 1,622,709 Evans et a1 Mar. 29, 19271,965,897 Jurgens et al July 10, 1934 2,074,357 Bergstein Mar. 23, 19372,098,245 Jackson Nov. 9, 1937

